Three years is a long time
by ShineyStar
Summary: Troy and Gabriella have hated each other for three years - at least, they thought they hated each other. Fond out what happens when Gabi and Troy reveal secrets that they have kept ever since 'the day'. ONE-SHOT. PLEASE REVIEW!


Ok so, I don't really know where this story came from – I just got this sudden urge to write something a little different than my other stories

**Ok so, I don't really know where this story came from – I just got this sudden urge to write something a little different than my other stories. Just so you know, I am still writing 'Why are you helping me?" it's just that I have had a temporary writers block on it.**

**Anyways, I hope you guys like it!**

**Three years is a long time…**

She shouldn't be here. It wasn't right. Gabriella had known it was had bad idea for her to come to the airport to meet him, but no, her mother had insisted that they all went together. And at this very moment, Gabriella couldn't think of a time where her mother had been more wrong.

Gabriella was sat on the chair, outside the gate that Troy was due to walk through in twenty minutes, with her mother standing at side of her, in deep conversation with Lucille, Troy's mother. On Gabriella's other side, sat Jack, Troy's father – who was reading the newspaper.

Slumping back in the chair, Gabriella continued to think about how she shouldn't be here. Why shouldn't she be here? Well, because, Troy and Gabriella have been sworn enemies since they were fourteen years old. The only conversations they have is when one of them is insulting and the other is retaliating. And you know the worst thing; that after the three years of hating him, Gabriella realised that she didn't actually hate him – she loved him. And that's why she shouldn't be here, because Gabriella knew how hard it would be for her to see him again, especially after what happened the day he left to go the 'Basketball Training Camp' in California for a whole two months.

--

"_For god's sake Troy!" Gabriella screamed as she paced his room, glaring at Troy as he sat on his bed, looking just as pissed off. "I didn't even want to be here today, but my mom said that I should come and say goodbye!" She took a breath before continuing. "I don't like it anymore than you do – but can we please and just try and forget the past three years for just five minutes, so that we can have a decent conversation?!" Gabriella asked incredulously. __She watched as Troy ran a hand through his hair, sighing in frustration before suddenly standing up; his cobalt blue eyes piercing into her deep brown ones._

"_Fine! Let's just forget the last three years! Let's just forget the fact that three years ago, we stopped being best friends. Let's just forget that three years ago, you shut me out of your life completely when you needed me most! Let's just forget that three years ago, you killed me on the inside!" Troy yelled, taking a step towards her; his fierce eyes set on hers. Gabriella blinked, unable to retaliate as she took in what Troy had said. As much as she hated it, Troy was right – she had shut him out of her life and he was right when he said that she needed him most at that time. But still, during the weeks that followed__ 'that day', Troy could have at least tried to make up with her, instead of just avoiding her._

" _Whoa! Hold on a sec! Don't even try to blame this all on me! I'll admit that I shut you out, but you didn't have to spend the following weeks completely ignoring me!" Gabriella exclaimed taking a step towards Troy who was listening intently. "Troy, I'm gonna tell you something, that I haven't even told my mom." Gabriella suddenly said a lot more quietly, but just as firm. Troy blinked before folding his arms – inclining that he was listening. Gabriella took a deep breath and closed her eyes before continuing. "I found the days that we stopped talking even worse than the actual day he died. And you know why? Because it killed me knowing that my best friend wasn't there for me with his red jumper, a bar of chocolate and a shoulder for me to cry on." Gabriella's voice was a whisper now, but Troy could hear every word. He could tell that she was about to cry; she always whispered when she was about to cry. Gabriella whispered for the entire year after her father died. Troy was stunned that she remembered all of the times he used to comfort her. When ever Gabriella had been upset, Troy would always give her his red 'wildcat' jumper that she adored, he would bring a huge chocolate bar for her to indulge in, and he would always hold her whenever she cried. But that was years ago._

"_But Gab__riella, you knew that I would have been there for you in a heartbeat, if you hadn't pushed me away!" Troy replied, his voice calmer and his eyes softer. "And, just so we're clear, I didn't ignore you because I didn't care; I ignored you because I didn't know how to act around you. Gabi, you dad had just died! How was I meant to know to act around you? I didn't want to say anything that would make you upset, but I didn't want to say something stupid – and knowing me, it's very easily done – in case I made you think I didn't care." Troy was now sitting back on his bed, staring intently at Gabriella as silent tears fell from her eyes. "And just so you know, in the last three years, I never stopped liking you…in fact, I found myself liking you even more, Brie." Troy said quietly after what seemed like hours. Gabriella was shocked. No-one had called her Brie in three years. Troy was the only person who was allowed to call her that, and that was the first time he had called her it in such a long time, and during the same three years, Troy never actually hated her?_

_The tears wouldn't stop. No matter how hard she tried, Gabriella couldn't stop crying. She found herself sitting on the bed, hugging her knees to her chest. __Once Gabriella was sure that she was able to speak, she slowly lifted her head and looked at Troy._

"_Troy, I've never hated you, and I don't think I ever will be able to hate you." She whispered, and Troy smiled. And it was a proper smile – not some cocky smirk that he usually wore, but a genuine smile that made Gabriella feel weak in the knees. _

_Just then, Troy said something that Gabriella was not expecting._

"_I've really missed you Brie." Troy's eyes were shining, filled with sincerity. Before Gabriella could reply, the bedroom door opened and Gabriella's mother appeared._

"_Gabi, we've got to go now." Maria said, looking slightly confused when she saw her daughter's tear stained face. Gabriella nodded her head meekly at her mother before turning to Troy. _

"_Um…have a great time in California, Troy." She said, forcing a small smile onto her face as she stood up. Troy returned her small smile and watched Gabriella walk out of the room._

_--_

"Oooh! They've arrived!" Lucille exclaimed. "Look out for Troy!"

Gabriella suddenly panicked. What if everything between Troy and her was awkward? What the hell would she say to him?

"Troy!" She heard Lucille call out. Rising from her chair slowly, she looked through the crowd of people that were walking out of the gate, but then her gaze transfixed on a boy that she had loved for over three years, with brown hair, stunning blue eyes and a gorgeously toned body, that looked even more gorgeous because it was more tanned.

Troy walked over to the four people who were waiting for him. His eyes locked on a pair of chocolate brown ones that he hadn't been expecting to see.

"Hey guys!" He greeted as he arrived at the group. He dropped his bag and allowed his mother to pull him into a bone crushing hug.

"Hey mom…" Troy said, patting her back in a slightly awkward way. When he was free of her grasp, he turned to his dad who gave him a manly hug.

"Son, good to have you back." Troy grinned and turned to Gabriella's mother.

"Troy, it's so lovely to see you again sweetie." Maria said, before placing a kiss on his cheek.

"You too, Maria." Troy replied, before turning to Gabriella, looking slightly hesitant.

"Hey Brie…" he said and before he knew it, Gabriella had flung herself into his arms, burying her head into the crook of his neck, inhaling the familiar scent that she had missed for three years. Troy buried his head into Gabriella's soft curls, holding her tightly, never wanting to let go. He hadn't held her in three years, and so, he had some serious time to make up for.

Gabriella and Troy stood holding each other, ignoring the beaming faces of their parents, but just enjoying each other's tight embrace. When Gabriella pulled back, she whispered to Troy, making sure that their parents couldn't hear.

"I've missed you Troy, but not just for the last two months, but for the three years as well." Gabriella said, her voice laced with seriousness. Troy nodded and brought his hands up so that he was cupping her cheeks.

"Brie, this is it now. Just you and me. I'm not loosing you again…I'm not wasting another three years of my life." Troy stated before bringing his lips down to Gabriella's, engaging her in a passionate kiss, which in their opinion, was something that should have happened a long time ago.

Troy ignored his mother's squeals as he slipped his tongue into Gabriella's inviting mouth, and smiled against her lips when he heard his dad mutter something in the background.

"About bloody time."

When Gabriella and Troy pulled away, Maria spoke.

"Well, we should go leave now, so that we make it home in time for our dinner reservations." Jack and Lucille nodded and the three adults started to make their way to the exit. Troy picked up his bag with one hand, and grabbed Gabriella's hand with the other, and the two of them followed the retreating backs of their parents. As Troy thought about everything that had happened on the day he left, it became very clear on how he felt about Gabriella.

"Love you Brie." Troy murmured softly as he brought her hand up to his lips, and pressed a kiss to her knuckle. Gabriella beamed up at him.

"Love you too, Wildcat." She responded before standing on her tiptoes and placing a tender kiss on his lips.

**Phew. Well, I wrote that in…an hour – which I think is pretty good! I hope you guys like it, and it would mean the world to me if you reviewed! I think chapter 9 for 'Why are you helping me?" will be out by the end of the week, but it depends! PLEASE REVIEW! x x x x x x**


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